Inside the New York Yankees clubhouse with MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch.

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I opened the door this morning to learn that the New York Post spent their night having a bit of fun with Photoshop, dressing Robinson Cano in the orange and blue of a Mets uniform.

Quite the sight, isn’t it? Of course, I can still remember seeing Bernie Williams painted into a Mets uniform on the back cover of a tabloid somewhere around ’99 or 2000 – headline: “PICTURE THIS.” That never quite came to fruition.

In any event, this Cano business is a compelling story. Cano’s representatives reportedly requested a meeting with the Mets last night at a “posh” Manhattan hotel; Jay-Z was there, as was agent Brodie Van Wagenen, but the Post reports that Cano did not attend the dinner. Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, GM Sandy Alderson and assistant GM John Ricco are said to have represented the ballclub.

The timing is curious, considering Alderson said last week at the GM Meetings that he couldn’t see his club giving out a $100 million contract this winter. That seemed to rule the Mets out for the likes of Shin-Soo Choo and Jacoby Ellsbury. Cano, as you well know, has set the bar highest of all the free agents with a 10-year, $305 million asking price.

And then there’s this tidbit that Anthony DiComo tucked into his writeup:

Over his first three offseasons as Mets GM, Alderson has not given out a free-agent contract larger than Frank Francisco’s recently-expired two-year, $12 million pact.

Considering the Dodgers and Magic Johnson said very early that they will not get involved in bidding for Cano, preferring to back their Brinks trucks up to keep Clayton Kershaw happy, it makes sense that Cano’s side is looking to press another team against the Yankees to drive up the price.

No better place to start than right across town. I wonder who picked up the check?

Like this:

Hal Steinbrenner admits to being “frustrated” by the Yankees’ recent swoon, but the club’s managing general partner told the New York Post that he still expects a winning performance down the stretch.

Steinbrenner spoke to the newspaper during Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field, a defeat that – coupled with the Orioles’ 12-0 victory over the Blue Jays – ensured the Yankees woke up on Wednesday morning sharing first place with Baltimore.

“We’re all frustrated,” Steinbrenner said. “The fans are frustrated. I know that. We all expect great things out of these guys. We’ve had injuries all year long. We’re not the only team, but we’ve had our share. Each time, they push through.

“The fans and my family, we expect them to push through now. I’m sure they will. But it’s a little frustrating, no doubt.”

The Yankees are 19-25 since July 18, when they held a 10-game lead in the American League East; no Yankees club has ever held a double-digit advantage and missed the postseason.

Steinbrenner told the Post that, despite the skid, the jobs of both general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi are not in jeopardy.

“No, not at all,” Steinbrenner said. “Look, you start to get back into it, and someone else gets hurt. [Aug. 27], when Tex [Mark Teixeira] goes down [with a left calf injury], look, that’s got to be hard. They’re looking forward to Alex [Rodriguez] coming back, and then boom, Teixeira goes down.

“And then a few days ago, [Curtis] Granderson, we were worried [about his right hamstring]. He’s back. They’ve got to keep grinding. They’ve got to keep pushing. They will. They know what’s expected of them.”

Steinbrenner told the newspaper that he has recently spoken to both Girardi and Cashman. He was at Yankee Stadium on Saturday and Sunday for the contests against the Orioles before attending Tuesday’s game at Tropicana Field.

“I was in The Bronx [last weekend], where I belong. That was rough,” Steinbrenner said. “It was rough. We got a lead, and we gave it up. So it is what it is. But we’ll keep grinding. They know what’s expected of them. But we’re all frustrated. That would be my word.”

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